Have you been up in the early hours of the morning because of your cancer diagnosis? If so, you are not alone. Our Community is available 24 hours a day, making it possible to post or reply in the forums no matter what time you are awake.
We often have members writing about their struggles with sleep. In this blog, we want to feature some of those discussions and highlight insightful experiences and wisdom shared.
Seven years ago, a member of the breast cancer forum found herself awake in the early hours of the morning. She decided to start a discussion, simply labelled, “awake”. That discussion is continuing today. The discussion is full of shared experiences around sleeplessness, personal stories, advice, and more. Although the 'Awake' thread sits in the breast cancer forum, all members from across the Community are welcome to join in. You can join the conversation by clicking here.
Below are some recent replies from the "Awake" thread.
“As I’m having chemo sessions they’ve given me steroids which effect my sleep patterns. I find watching a boxset episode on my iPad for an hour helps me drift back to sleep. Others read a chapter from a book or spray some lavender on their pillowcase (I find that calming too)”
“I went on a meditation workshop on zoom and slept through half of it. Result! I might not sleep tonight but I’ll take it when I can get it at the moment!”
“I had a 6-week course of ear acupuncture at a Maggie’s centre, aimed at helping with the Anastrozole induced hot flushes. Definitely helped and sleep improved too. Might be worth asking, if you have a Maggie’s or MacMillan centre anywhere nearby.”
Anxiety often intertwines with sleeplessness during challenging times. A member reached out for support within our Ask a Nurse forum.
“Recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, operation booked in 2 weeks. Just cannot sleep partly due to constant coughing but the main reason is anxiety.”
One of our experienced Cancer Information Nurse Specialists replied with guidance and links for further reading.
“If you find that your emotions are preventing you from getting out and carrying on with your day to day activities, we would encourage you to speak to your GP or healthcare team for support.
Anxiety is a natural human response when we are feeling under threat. It has a physical element to it as well as psychological. One of the physical effects on your body can be sleep problems. If you are having trouble sleeping, there are things you can do that may help improve your sleep including a good bedtime routine and practising relaxation techniques.”
Members of the Online Community have shared various strategies that have helped them manage sleeplessness during their cancer journey. It's essential to note that these members have shared from their own personal experience, reflecting on what has worked for them. It is not meant to replace advice given by health professionals. We always encourage individuals facing sleep challenges to seek guidance from their healthcare team as a first step.
Our Online Community is for anyone affected by cancer, including friends, family, loved ones and spouses. This member was concerned about her partner's mental health and reached out to the Community for support in our Head and neck cancer forum.
“He is very agitated particularly at night and is not sleeping properly. He falls asleep then wakes up startled and it begins again. I’m concerned for his mental health."
Another member replied with some wise words and suggested the free counselling available through BUPA.
“It sounds as if your partner could do with a visit to his GP to discuss treating this anxiety. Many forum members in the past have had antidepressants and sleeping pills temporarily; just to get over the initial shock. Sleep deprivation plays havoc with your mind let alone having to cope with the fear of the cancer.
Macmillan provides free counselling which might be something he can look into. There is more information on this page. I hope you can find something. Stay with us and we will all be here to try to help where we can”
If you have encountered sleep challenges and found ways to cope, we welcome you to join the conversation by sharing your experience in the comments below.
For further support, questions or just to talk things through, please do reach out to our Support Line. Our Support Line teams are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm on freephone 0808 808 00 00, email or live webchat.
